Tie rod sleeves

[n8in8or]

I’m hoping to participate in the local dirt drags next week so I wanted to reinforce my tie rods before I did a bunch of boosted launches in 4 wheel drive. First thing I did was buy some QA1 tie rod sleeves from Speedway Motors a couple months ago.



This weekend I made some slip-on sleeves to strengthen the rest of the tie rod ends. I bought a chunk of DOM tubing that was .750 ID with a .250 wall thickness. I cut this into 4, 3” long pieces. Then I drilled and tapped 8, 1/4-20 holes in each piece for set screws. Here’s what the sleeves ended up looking like.



Then it was time to install the bits. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get the QA1 sleeves to thread onto the existing tie rod ends due to rusty threads, so I had to go buy new Moog Problem Solver tie rods. I wish I had planned on that ahead of time because I could have saved a crap ton of money by buying them from Rock Auto instead of O’Reilly....ah well. Hopefully somebody reading this learns from my mistake.

I installed the slip-on sleeves on the ends and then screwed them into the QA1 sleeves. I measured the existing tie rod assemblies and made the new assemblies the same length so as not to throw off my alignment. I could have made the slip-on sleeves a little longer, but I didn’t want to interfere with the adjustability of the tie rods.



I tightened everything after installing them on the truck. Then I cleaned them off and threw some black paint on them.



Time to do some boosted launches in 4 wheel drive!!

 

[btfarm]

Look pretty stout. But what's with the CV boot?

 

[n8in8or]

Look pretty stout. But what's with the CV boot?

Thanks. The CV boot just looks funky in the pic because the wheel was cramped all the way to the left and there’s a shadow on it.

 

[n8in8or]

I forgot to mention that while I was working on the steering I noticed that the Moog Problem Solver idler arm I installed 3 years ago is already worn out. I guess I need to get a Super Steer idler arm.

https://supersteerparts.com/product...r-arm-support-93-98-gm-1500-2500-trucks-suvs/

 

[btfarm]

I have had to replace idler arms at least every 100k or less.

 

[n8in8or]

I have had to replace idler arms at least every 100k or less.

This one has maybe 20,000 miles on it.

 

[Jaryd]

If you can, get us some videos. If I didn’t live on the other end of the country I would sure try to be there so I could see this and video it for you.

 

[n8in8or]

If you can, get us some videos. If I didn’t live on the other end of the country I would sure try to be there so I could see this and video it for you.

Oh yeah, will do. My brother is hopefully coming so he can get some vids and I’m going to use my faux pro, too. Hopefully I can take down some DIs with the IDI.

 

[WarWagon]

How often you greasing the front end and with what? You might grease it at 2500 miles regardless of oil changes being at 5k or more.

 

[n8in8or]

Well, to be honest, I don’t grease my front end at regular mileage intervals. It’s more of a “when I think of it” thing. So probably every 8000 miles or so. I’ve been using Valvoline grease, but recently switched to Lucas Red ‘n’ Tacky, I think it’s called.

 

[Big T]

Thanks. The CV boot just looks funky in the pic because the wheel was cramped all the way to the left and there’s a shadow on it.

I believe he was focused on the wet black being a leak, when it was really just your painting.

I like the tie rod aduster sleeves. Not sure what the other fabbed sleeves do?

 

[n8in8or]

I believe he was focused on the wet black being a leak, when it was really just your painting.

I like the tie rod aduster sleeves. Not sure what the other fabbed sleeves do?

Ah, I get it. Yeah, I didn’t mask anything off when spraying the paint on - I figured any paint on the Michigan rust was a good thing, ha.

The theory with the fabbed sleeves was to add some girth to the tie rods so they would be less likely to bend. Is that really a thing to be concerned with? I don’t know, but I’d rather not find out the hard way.

 

[Will L.]

We are all cheering for ya! Have fun.

And yes, step up the greasing routine. Just pretend it’s a hummer -they needs 1/2 tube of grease every 3,000 miles.

 

[79jasper]

I forgot to mention that while I was working on the steering I noticed that the Moog Problem Solver idler arm I installed 3 years ago is already worn out. I guess I need to get a Super Steer idler arm.

https://supersteerparts.com/product...r-arm-support-93-98-gm-1500-2500-trucks-suvs/

Can't say that I've ever heard anything good about moog. Especially not balljoints in a 3/4 truck or bigger.
I bet you looked like the tin man after that anti seize. Lol

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[n8in8or]

Can't say that I've ever heard anything good about moog. Especially not balljoints in a 3/4 truck or bigger.
I bet you looked like the tin man after that anti seize. Lol

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Ha! Yup! I get it all over myself every time!

 

[THEFERMANATOR]

When I bent mine, the tie rods themselves held up, it was the hollow sleeves that crumpled where they stepped.

Here was mine.
http://www.thetruckstop.us/forum/threads/rebuilding-my-front-end.44967/

 

[n8in8or]

We are all cheering for ya! Have fun.

And yes, step up the greasing routine. Just pretend it’s a hummer -they needs 1/2 tube of grease every 3,000 miles.

Thanks Will, I’m pretty excited to see how it does.

Yeah.....sounds like I need to add greasing to my oil change routine.

 

[n8in8or]

When I bent mine, the tie rods themselves held up, it was the hollow sleeves that crumpled where they stepped.

Here was mine.
http://www.thetruckstop.us/forum/threads/rebuilding-my-front-end.44967/

Are you still doing boosted launches in 4 wheel drive? I thought I read in an earlier thread that you stopped doing that. I should have asked you what you were doing for tie rods since you certainly have some power in your Sub.

 

[WarWagon]

@79jasper what do you recommend aside of the linked one above?

Moog is above the store brand, but, you have to grease them. Even then our front ends are known to eat parts. We made GM and dealer eat it due to the amount of trouble we had with front ends in the fleet.

Oil change means adjust rear brakes and grease. When I take mine out to 5k I grease it at 3k or 1 year.

When oil changes go 10-15000 miles... It's $12.50 to grease the front end at a truck stop. We did this every 5k on the 2008 and oil every 10k.

 

[79jasper]

Over on the ford side, the moog balljoints arent lasting most people even 50k miles if they're lucky. Some (many) wearing out sooner.
So it's kinda apples to oranges. Maybe the lighter gm front end is easier on parts?
Frequent greasing is likely the most important factor.
I did OEM DANA/SPICER (sealed units) balljoints on my 94 F350, even those saw some play under 25,000 miles.


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